In a new round of Telecoms infringement
proceedings, the European Commission, as guardian of the Treaties, today decided
to open a case against Italy on the effectiveness of the single European
emergency number 112. The Commission also had to refer Bulgaria and Romania to
the European Court of Justice, for the lack of availability of 112 and for lack
of caller location for 112 calls.

"Although some efforts have been made by both Bulgaria and Romania on the
implementation of the single European emergency number 112, we cannot be
complacent when it comes to the safety of our citizens. Any delay on the
implementation of 112 can put the lives and health of travellers at risk. I call
on Romania and Bulgaria to fully and quickly implement number 112", said
Viviane Reding, the EU Telecoms Commissioner. "I also urge Italy to ensure
that all 112 calls are handled as effectively as calls to other national
emergency numbers by all emergency call centres so that Europeans can get help
when in need."

EU Telecoms rules require Member States to make sure that people can call the
single European emergency number 112 free of charge nationwide from any type of
phone. They must also ensure that 112 calls are answered and handled efficiently
and that operators provide information on the caller's location to emergency
services.

The Commission is today sending a letter of formal notice to Italy
about the effectiveness of 112 calls handling and answering. The various
emergency response systems of many Member States, including Italy, in particular
police, ambulance, fire and rescue service, run separate call centre systems
using different numbers. These Member States have to ensure that the handling
and answering of 112 calls is as effective as for calls made to other national
emergency numbers. This is not always the case in Italy because call centres of
the emergency service in charge of receiving 112 calls cannot transfer callers
to the centres of other required emergency services.

Today the Commission also decided to refer Bulgaria and Romania
to the European Court of Justice. Before reaching this stage, letters of formal
notice had been sent to Bulgaria in October 2007 (IP/07/1530)
and to Romania in November 2007 (IP/07/1785). In April 2008 reasoned opinions – the
"last warning" in such a procedure – were then sent to both countries on
the proper functioning of 112 (IP/08/519).
In Bulgaria, 112 is still not operational nationwide. In Romania, caller
location, which helps emergency services find accident victims, is not provided
for all calls (IP/08/358).

However, in view of ongoing efforts in both Member States to make 112 fully
operational by the end of the year, the Commission is delaying the execution of
today's decision by three months to give them a last chance to address the
matter. Failure to fully comply in the next three months will lead to the cases
being filed with the European Court of Justice. "I expect the many political
commitments made by Bulgarian and Romanian authorities to guarantee the full
functioning of 112 to be taken very seriously. Their deadline for making 112
fully operational was 1 January 2007, so today's decision to bring both
countries before the Court of Justice will be immediately executed if there is
the slightest doubt about full respect of EU law at the end of the year,"
said Commissioner Reding.

Background:

112 was introduced in 1991 to provide, in addition to national emergency
numbers, a single emergency number in all EU Member States to make emergency
services more accessible. Since 1998, EU rules require Member States to ensure
that all fixed and mobile phone users can call 112 free of charge. Since 2003,
telecoms operators must provide caller location information to emergency
services.

Since 2006 the Commission has launched infringement proceedings (including
this round) against 14 Member States on the issue of caller location, against
two Member States on availability of 112 and against one Member States on
handling of 112 calls.

Eight of the caller location cases have been closed as the Member States
remedied the situation. The Commission was similarly able to close one of the
cases related to the availability of 112. The European Court of Justice has
already ruled on two 112 infringement cases finding a breach of EU law in that
caller location information was only partially available in Slovakia (Judgment
of 25 July 2008) or not available at all for 112 calls from mobile phones in
Lithuania (Judgment of 11 September). Two more cases (Italy and the Netherlands)
are currently before the Court, while the Commission decision to refer Poland to
the Court is under suspension pending verification of the effect of 112 there.

An overview of the state of infringement proceedings can be found in the
Annex.

In June 2008 the Commission launched a new website dedicated to 112 that
provides information in all EU official languages to citizens who travel within
the EU http://ec.europa.eu/112

For the other infringement proceedings under the EU Telecoms rules in this
round see IP/08/1343 and IP/08/1344.

Annex:

Situation as of 11 September 2008

State of infringement proceedings concerning
112

Member State

Availability of 112 from fixed and mobile
telephones

Provision of caller location for fixed and mobile
calls

Call handling and answering

Austria

Belgium

Infringement closed in 2007

Bulgaria

Infringement started in 2007

N/A

N/A

Cyprus

Infringement closed in 2006

Czech Republic

Germany

Denmark

Estonia

Spain

Finland

France

Greece

Infringement closed in 2007

Hungary

Infringement closed in 2007

Ireland

Infringement closed in 2006

Italy

Infringement started in 2006

Infringement started in 2008

Lithuania

ECJ judgment of 11 September 2008 finding infringement of the applicable EU
law

Luxembourg

Infringement closed in 2006

Latvia

Infringement closed in 2008

Malta

Netherlands

Infringement started in 2006

Poland

Infringement closed in 2005

Infringement started in 2006, procedure currently suspended pending
verification of the practical functioning of the caller location system

Portugal

Infringement closed in 2007

Romania

Infringement started in 2007

Sweden

Slovenia

Slovakia

ECJ judgment of 25 July 2008 finding infringement of the applicable EU
law